19 October 2005
CTU Biennial Conference Resolution
The Council of Trade Unions ended its three day biennial conference in Wellington this afternoon. Delegates voted on a
resolution from conference.
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2005 Conference Resolution
That the NZCTU Conference 2005 resolves that it:
celebrates the success made in consolidating unionism in Aotearoa/New Zealand and pledges to increase the activity and
momentum around a strategy to rebuild union density, organising, capacity and power, particularly in the private sector,
and on an industry basis;
recognises the importance of developing the role of unions as the representative voice of working people and as a social
partner from a position of being a large and well organised independent union movement;
will continue to build an active and inclusive way of working that provides opportunities to be involved locally, in
communities of interest, politically and industrially;
resolves to continue our campaign to lift wages to a livable level, noting the 30% wage gap with Australia, and to
develop a ‘targeted campaign’ for low-income workers;
undertakes to further develop worker participation to ensure there is a strong worker voice on workplace issues and
industry or departmental strategies;
challenges business to meet with unions on an industry basis where wages and collective bargaining are put on the agenda
alongside skill development and productivity;
calls on the Government to promote a sustainable development framework that actively involves unions and workers in
economic and social development in a comprehensive rather than ad hoc way;
will increase opportunities for union members to be active on political issues in communities;
will continue our regular engagement with Government at CTU : Government forums;
pledges to work with the Government to protect and build state sector capacity, improve vital social services,
demonstrate best-practice in terms of state sector pay, conditions, retirement savings and other employment matters, and
the building of co-operative workplaces, participatory decision-making, tripartism, and satisfying and rewarding work;
supports a continuing policy programme by Government to address:
- vulnerable workers
- dependent contractors
- workers employed by temporary work agencies and labour hire companies
- portability of entitlements
- the minimum wage
- underfunding and low wages paid in the Aged Care and other sectors
- the issue of low paid workers in the public sector
- ILO Convention 138
- meal and refreshment breaks
- redundancy law
- equal pay and pay and employment equity
- paid parental leave
- MECA bargaining in the state sector
- responsible contractor policy
- ILO Convention 155
- ongoing funding of health and safety representatives’ training
- work:life balance
- higher levels of investment in skill development
will continue to work with parliamentary parties that share our policies and objectives, and to work closely with these
parties to achieve such policies and objectives;
will continue with major CTU projects on health and safety training, productivity, learning representatives, and Maori
economic development;
supports mechanisms to promote and reflect diversity at all levels so members can see themselves reflected in the union
movement;
resolves to continue our international work including active involvement in SPOCTU and support for development projects
in the Asia Pacific region;
calls for the implementation of ILO Conference resolutions to impose trade sanctions against the Burmese military régime
until the cease the use of forced labour;
will continue our work opposing free trade in a global marketplace dominated by multinational enterprises and propose
instead fair trade based on sustainable development.
ENDS